Love Potions
by The Cauldron Simmers
Summary: Re-write complete. Summary still inside, Warnings still: Rape; M-preg; Death; Hormones etc. Enjoy, and PLEASE R
1. Ch 1: Welcome to Hogwarts

_Chapter 1: Welcome to Hogwarts_

Amily Rutherford sat on the train in silence. She was new to the school, but in her seventh year. She had been in a small co-ed school in the US for magical individuals, but it had been burnt to the ground due to some poorly cast fiendfyre. Amily and the rest of her remaining schoolmates were transferred to different schools around the globe. She, with a great deal of luck, had managed a full scholarship to Hogwarts. So she sat in her seat reading a thick book, the binding was black with no discernable markings upon it at all. No title, no insignia, nothing. A whole armada of defense to hide a secret stash of Potions texts she read over and over again, simply for the fun of it.

She pulled her feet up and cuddled against the window. A dark figure walked into the compartment and sat in the seat nearest the door on the side opposite to her. She looked up to see a marble faced man sitting there. His hair was black and almost shoulder length, elegant if not a little greasy. He had a cloak already on, a black one, buttoned up as high as it would go on his neck. His eyes were cold, like the rest of him, but there was something else there, loneliness and a sorrow one would never see unless they looked carefully.

"May I help you with something?" he demanded coldly. Amily shook her head submissively and went back to her book. She sat with the book for some time, hoping slightly that he would leave, but when he did not she was glad of it, he was a quiet man, much in the same way she was quiet.

The train proceeded to chug along and she quickly finished the book. Amily lifted the lid to her trunk and placed the book delicately into a square compartment, exchanging it for her brand new potions text. The book was so new in fact that she had yet to charm away the title. She glanced at the man, but he was too engulfed on the underused attaché case in his lap. Amily set the book delicately onto the seat, face up, and retrieved her robe and the shield of the house she had been sorted into during the summer. Some dive called Slytherin. She pulled the green lined cloak on over her clothes, which were already the school uniform; she was bright with tactics like that. She carefully pinned the pin onto her right breast and smiled at the slight weight. In her old school they had just gone to school, they had roommates, but no houses. She turned around and her eyes fell upon the man, his eyes trained on her book.

"You read all of your school books so late?" he asked coldly. Amily frowned slightly.

"No, I've already read all of them," she replied, irritated, but still submissively polite.

"Except your potions text?" he asked, as if it were an insult directly to him.

"No," she repeated. "I've read it once already, I just-"she broke off. She found that she sincerely wanted this man's approval, and so she explained further. "I couldn't take potions last year and it's my favorite, please don't laugh," she mumbled. When he remained silent she looked up at his face; he was studying her, figuring that she was lying, she assumed.

"I see," he mused. Something of a smile, or perhaps more of a smirk, flickered across his face, at any rate it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. While Amily was wondering if he had actually shown any emotion at all or if it was simply a trick of the light a tall, wrinkly woman popped her head into the cabin.

"Severus, we need you to come up front, Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Zambini had a bit of an altercation and you need to deal with it," she said.

"Alright Minerva, I'm coming," he replied lazily. The woman nodded and walked back toward the front of the train.

"I am Professor Snape, Potions master and head of Slytherin house, Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Rutherford," he said. He gave her a curt nod. She paused, confused, but not entirely sure why. She nodded back and he left.

"How'd he know my name?" she asked herself a minute or two later. She shook it off, he was her head of house, of course he would recognize that she was not one from before, he had probably even been there when she was sorted. Amily snuggled back to the window and went back to her book.

The time on the train went by fast as her mind curved away from potions, but to a subject very close to them. She had heard tell of the Potions master, but from what she could tell they were not true, or were told with prejudice. They had said he was ugly, and that was _not _true at all. He had a strong brow and a proud air about him. They said he favored Slytherins and from what she had already seen it must have been told by someone in another house, because he had looked severely irritated when called to separate Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini who were both Slytherins.

She shook the thoughts out of her head and stared at the page more intently hoping root of venomous tentacula and horn of unicorn would wash away the thoughts in her head.

A tall girl with wild, slightly frizzy, brown hair framing her gentle face poked her head in a short time later. "We're almost to the station," she informed Amily.

"Thanks," Amily replied. She placed a small green ribbon in the fold of the pages and closed the book.

"Leave your trunk, they'll bring it to your room," she added. Again Amily looked up and smiled.

"Thanks," she repeated.

"I'm Hermione Granger," the girl said with a small smile. Amily thrilled at the kindness.

"I'm Amily Rutherford," she replied. She took Hermione's hand and shook it brightly. A rush of excitement washed over her, showing clearly in a bout of verbal diarrhea which went some like: "I've heard loads about you! Last year, you were with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley when it all happened weren't you?".

"Yeah, how'd you?"

"You defeated Voldemort, every witch and wizard in the _world_ knows," she replied, a bit calmer and determined to regain her calm demeanor.

"Most only know about Harry, some of Ron, but I hadn't heard any stories about me," Hermione mused, clearly flattered.

"Really? Most of my friends won't stop mentioning you. It was bravest on your part, because you're Mud-ggle born, they had it out for you just as much as for Harry Potter! And there was no reason to keep you alive if you got caught," Amily mused genuinely. Hermione smiled, clearly having missed the near slip, and a light rose color rising into her cheeks. She chastised herself internally as she stood there with Hermione, the habit of the cruel name it seemed would die hard.

"I have to go, Prefect, you know, but I'll see you around," Hermione said with a grin. Amily smiled brightly in return.

Hermione retracted herself from the door and was gone. A short time later Amily felt the train dive forward shortly and then stop entirely. She made her way out into the crowd of people. She spotted a dark haired Slytherin girl and decided to follow her. The Slytherin made her way to a massive white carriage pulled by great black horse-like beasts. Amily marveled at them for only a moment before walking toward the carriages.

"Amily!" came Hermione's voice from a yard or so away. Amily spun to see Hermione waving beside a tall red haired boy, his clone -slightly shorter and in female form - , and a black haired, emerald eyed boy. She recognized them from the stories she heard and hurried over.

"This is Amily," Hermione introduced. The redhead, Ron she assumed, gave a shrug and a small nod of acknowledgment. His little sister was much warmer; she grinned widely and waved, adding that her name was Ginny. And finally the mysterious Harry Potter smiled in a noncommittal way and shook her hand.

"You're riding with us then?" Ginny asked, somewhat hopeful if not at least kind.

"Am I allowed to?" she asked.

"Sure," Hermione responded before Ron could, as his mouth was open with intent. The five of them piled into one of the carriages.

"Umm, what are those things pulling the carriage? They're sort of creepy," Amily managed, as she locked eyes with one of the ghastly creatures.

The carriage was quiet for some time, before Hermione managed: "You can see them?" Her voice was weighed down with an abnormal amount of pity.

"Yes, why?"

"They're Thestrals… why can you see them?" Ron asked. Hermione jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow. The word flashed into Amily's mind, connected with something she had once read and her eyes were immediately downcast.

"You don't have to answer-"

"Yes. She does. If she's riding with us, if a _Slytherin_ is riding with us, then we need some way to know she's not one of Malfoy's minions," Ron grumbled, his eyes focused on Amily and all of her green.

"The reason I'm here is because there was an accident at my school last year, some fire charm." She paused and focused intently on her feet. "Cursed fire, I can't remember what the spell was, but I was hidden, when it was set. I watched my little sister burn, I watched her die, but somehow I made it outside. The teachers put it out… or it went out… I guess I can see them because I saw her die." Amily didn't look up; she sniffed, trying to hold away the tears. She felt small arms around her and she saw long, red hair dangle beside her.

"I'm so sorry, that must have been horrible," Ginny whispered.

"Thanks," Amily mumbled, she made no move to return Ginny's hug, so eventually Ginny simply let go. The carriage was quiet the entire rest of the way to the castle. When they arrived they went their separate ways: Amily to the Slytherin table, and the rest to Gryffindor. Amily sat at the end closest to the middle of the room, allowing people to sit where ever else they liked. She looked up at the Professor's table, studying the Professors. Her eyes fell upon Professor Snape, talking to a small fluffy looking man. She forced herself to look away from the curvature of his face, the points of his cheeks, and the curve of his slim lips. She focused on her lap.

"Hi," came a slow, deep voice. Amily turned to see a large boy, possibly six feet tall. He had dark almond colored eyes and dark hair cropped close to his head.

"Hi…" Amily replied with a small smile on her face.

"Can I sit there?" he asked quietly. Amily nodded and he sat down.

"Greg Goyle," he said and offered her his hand. She took it and shook it.

"Amily Rutherford," she replied. He smiled at her and before he could say anything in response the head Mistress lost her patience, because apparently she had been after their attention for several minutes. She pressed her wand to her throat and her shrill voice echoed through the great hall.

"SILENCE!" Everyone winced and stared at her. She went on, explaining the 'Dos and Don'ts of Hogwarts'. Her speech went on for some time, and when it finally ended the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and the Transfiguration teacher which would be replacing her stood up. The Defence teacher was called Professor Alexander Crozwix, and the Transfigurations teacher was a beautiful witch named Professor Sophie Savf. They stood awkwardly for a short time. When they sat down food appeared upon the tables on massive golden plates. Amily helped herself to a small bowl of salad and doused it with dressing. She prodded the small helping with her fork for a minute, and then went into a daydreaming state.

She imagined she was in potions class, they were making a particularly complicated truth serum, which, by sheer luck she had already done. Snape was complimenting her skill. And then suddenly he wasn't talking about her skills, he was talking about her eyes, telling her they were the most amazing shade of silver he'd ever had the luck to stumble across. Next thing she knew he was standing behind her, his arms outstretched, holding a wooden dipper with her and stirring the potion. His form moving behind her, she felt every muscle against her back as they curved the plank about in the frothing brew.

She was torn out of her fantasy by Gregory pointing out that she'd been stirring her salad for about five minutes and had not touched it yet. She blushed and silently scolded herself for thinking such a thing about a teacher.

She pushed the salad aside and smiled sheepishly at Goyle, telling him that she wasn't hungry and should not have dished it anyway. Minutes ticked by and Goyle went back to eating. She stole a glance at the Professors' table and saw Snape focused upon his goblet. He stared into the liquid as if it told some amazing secret and he was slowly unraveling the tapestry which told it. She looked back at her own table to find that the dinner had vanished and that now there were mounds of desserts piled there. Her eyes grew wide and she piled numerous desserts upon her plate.

"I thought you weren't hungry," Goyle chuckled beside her.

"This is different," she assured him with a smile. She nibbled on a chocolate, and again was lost in her fantasy world, a habit she had fallen to over the summer to escape the sorrow of her real world. Of course, over the summer, the fantasies were of princesses caught in castles, not sleek half-naked potions masters teasing her with chocolates. She snapped quickly back, her face beet red, but she hid it behind a veil of her caramel colored hair. She went on devouring the treats, forcing herself to focus on the real world, as opposed to her suddenly Snape filled dream one.

"Alright, I assume you've all had your fills, you may now be off you your dormitories, good evening," McGonagall said. Amily resolved to follow Gregory, and so did not leap to her feet when the other students rushed out of the hall. However as the last of the other Sythrins were leaving it became aparant that Greg and his companion weren't going anywhere for quite some while. Amily approached McGonagall.

"Mistress, I can't say that I know where my dormitory _is_," she mumbled, embarrassed by her own ignorance.

"Oh, of course," McGonagall said with a smile. "Severus, could you show Amily to the Slytherin dormitories?" she called. Severus Snape turned, having been talking to a house-elf about something, and nodded lazily. The house-elf disappeared with a loud pop, and Snape strode toward them. Each step perfectly planted, he simply oozed grace.

"Come along then Miss Rutherford." Amily nodded quickly and walked after him, having to take a step and a half of for each of his long strides. He led her without glancing down at her, down this hall, and through that passageway, until he came to a blank stone wall, seemingly like a dozen others they had passed.

"The password is Parslemouth, it will be changed every month or so, so check the board in there," he said. He paused and looked down at her. "Do you really always read your Potions text twice?" he asked.

"No sir, it's usually more than that, but I've been busy," she replied. It was honest, certainly, but it was also an attempt at skirting into his good favor. Once again the smile danced across his face and while it wasn't there any longer than its predecessor she knew it had been there.

"I see, well then, I'll see you in class tomorrow, first thing," he said with a stiff nod. Amily smiled slightly and then turned to the wall, now noting a distinctly serpentine crack at her eye level, she muttered the word and the small crack slithered quickly in both directions and split open, revealing a smooth archway before her. Seeing as it was nine o'clock, she decided to go to bed early, it had been a very stressful day, and more importantly, she had something to dream about.

She walked quickly through the common room, taking very little of it in, and hurried up a short staircase, she was lucky enough to be just behind the Slytherin Prefect explaining that "up to the left were the girls' dorms, and down to the right were the boys." She let him finish and the people filed in their given directions. Amily quickly found her room, she, having enrolled late, had a room all to herself at the end of the corridor. The walls were dark stone, green fabric curtains were hung over three of the four walls to give the illusion of warmth. The floor was hardwood, with a large green circular rug on it. The bed sat in the corner, a circle accepts that the part against the walls was a corner to fit. Piled in said corner was a mound of green, black, and grey pillows. She lay down on the bed, looking around for a moment. Her trunk had been placed against the opposite wall, just between the door she had just come in through and silver slide open doors, one of which was open to show a small walk in wardrobe. Amily took her wand from her pocket, tapped her own shoulder with it, and instantly her robe hung on the door, her clothes in a dirty clothes basket, and she was wearing a silver nightgown, a simple substitution charm. She curled up under the thick emerald green comforter and closed her eyes. Within minutes she was asleep, whisked away to her secret little mental world.


	2. Ch 2: Morning

_Chapter 2: Morning_

Amily woke without an alarm clock the next morning. She glanced at the silver wall clock, its black second hand kept clicking along while the hour sat on five and the minutes on the six.

_Five Thirty… oh gross_. Amily thought to herself. She flipped her feet off the curved edge of the bed and it took her a minute to remember where she was.

She smiled and got to her feet. Amily glanced around the room to see that her clothes were gone, probably off to be washed. She made her bed in silence, her mind wandering to her schedule, which had been placed on her bedside table. First she had potions with Gryffindor starting at seven, then Defense against the Dark Arts with Ravenclaw, lunch, Herbology with Gryffindor and then finally Transfigurations with Hufflepuff. Then a free period until dinner.

A quick cleanliness charm and she got dressed. She looked into the full length mirror set beside the walk in, and pondered. She was content to call herself 'pretty' although she wasn't conceited to say anymore than that. She had long strait caramel colored hair that reached midway down her back, silver eyes with speckles of green in the right light. Her skin was light and smooth, she was proud of her looks because they were her father's for the most part, she would much rather look like her father than her mother. Her mother had platinum blonde hair and sapphire eyes, nice, if you want to be a stereotype, but Amily found life more reasonable looking just about average. She didn't wear make-up, mostly because it led directly to a face full of zits when she did.

For the rest of the hour and a half she had before Potions she snuggled up on her clean, crisp made bed and restored the titles on her potions library. Fond as she was of an ideal of average-ness, she found that she would not mind standing out if it was to the right person. Her conscience or perhaps her common sense told her she was being an idiot. Professor Snape had no interest in her, she was certain. She couldn't help but hope however, he seemed a very different kind of man next to the ones she had known in years past.

At 6:42 she got up again. She righted her hair in the mirror and smoothed out her clothes. She quickly packed her bag; she packed up her Potions, Defense, Herbological, and Transfiguration texts along with her insta-shrink cauldron. Then scooted out the door and down the stairs to the commonroom.

"Oh, Amily! Over here," Greg called; Amily smiled and walked over, standing a bit uncomfortably in the group. She stood out. For one she was one of only two girls. The other young lady had her hair cropped just above her shoulders and it was black as midnight, her eyes were a matchingly cold, dark color Amily couldn't decipher, and she had a well concealed pimple on her forehead. The girl clung to a tall blonde young man with cold grey eyes, not silver, but a dull irritable grey color. Amily could not look at him long, her stomach threatened to heave from the glare he sent out to anyone anywhere within the immediate vicinity.

Beside Greg was a broad, squat boy with dark hair, also cut short, his gorging companion from the night before. This boy had dark eyes, which seemed to be the major color in the House. Greg quickly introduced everyone. He introduced them as Pansy, Draco, and Vinney respectively.

"Amily," Amily said kindly. She shook Vinnie's hand, he seemed glad about it although it was sort of hard to tell. He seemed to have a grand total of three emotions: Hungry, irritable and bored. She offered her hands to Draco and Pansy. Draco looked at her for a minute, took her hand and gave it a lazy shake, while Pansy just crossed her arms across her chest and looked disgusted. Amily let her hand drop with an upset look.

"Pansy, what's your problem?" Vinnie asked. Amily had to stifle a snicker at the light airiness of his voice.

"Whatever do you mean?" she asked with a small smirk. She curled her arms around Draco's left arm and leaned her head onto his shoulder. Amily rolled her eyes before she could stop herself.

"What's _your_ problem?" Pansy growled.

Fairly certain she and this girl, Pansy, would not get along she replied "Calm down, I'm not out to catch your _boyfriend_." Pansy seemed slightly relieved and her face flared pink, while Draco's lost what little color it had.

"We are _not_ together!" he scowled, ripping his arm away from Pansy in a very distinctive show. Now Amily was well aware that she really didn't like Pansy. She could also somewhat sense the authority Draco gave off. So she was as shocked as Draco when her palm made contact with his smooth face."What the hell was that for!" he demanded. Amily thought for the briefest second about apologizing. However, the sensation of slapping Draco had released more endorphins than crying, laughing, and orgasm all together could have, so she sucked up her cowardice and did something she had never in her life done to a male.

She told him off. "You are a rude, sour, tease of a boy. You're playing with her head is what you're doing and that's wrong," Amily growled. It was a poor excuse for a rant, as she had never had a chance to practice, but it felt good to say so she stayed with it. Pansy looked up, realizing quickly that she was the "her" in the statement. Her eyes darted back to the floor which she scuffed with her shoe.

"You- you!" Draco accused. Amily felt waves of power crashing about within her. She found herself wholly unimpressed by him, he was a call man, and his hit men were stifling their laughter.

"I what?" Amily challenged.

"You haven't won, you know that, you're going to regret this," he threatened. Felt a sick twist in her stomach as her power began to recede. He was probably right. But on the last ebbing trickle of euphoria that came with calling Draco out, she finished with flare.

"I'd like to see you try," she replied. She smirked at his shock. The grandfather clock read five minutes to seven. She walked around him and out the archway. Her heart thundered in her chest as she anticipated a stron hex to hit her in the back. The only thing hurrying toward her however, was a pair of feet, clicking on the stone of the floor.

"Ummm, Amily?" whispered Pansy's voice.

"Hmm?" Amily asked.

"Uhh, thanks," she mumbled quietly.

"No problem," Amily replied. The two walked into the dungeon classroom that was the Potions lab. Amily settled herself in one of the front most seats. Pansy took a seat behind her, not wanting quite as much direct contact with Snape, for which Amily was greatful. She hadn't gone after Draco for Pansy, and she was none too eager to have the girl tailing her, especially after how the girl had already acted toward her. Amily watched as Draco, Vinnie, and Greg sat in the far back of the room. She decided then, that while she may not like Pansy, so long as the girl proved useful she may be a decent comrade.

People chatted here and there; Amily however was more or less silent, gazing at the door through which she decided Snape's office must have been. At the exact moment when the clock struck seven the door Amily was watching flew open and Severus Snape appeared. Almost instantly the class fell silent.

"I am not going to dillydally with pointless introductions. You are all well aware of who I am. Your first assignment will me a potion of your choosing based off of the ingredients listed here," he paused and flipped the chalkboard around to the side with a long list of odds and ends ingredients. "Proceed." He turned to Amily and without a pause walked over to where she sat. He looked down his nose at her in a fashion that made her throat go dry, although it would look to many as simple distain.

"If you are as enamored by potions as you say you are, you should be able to precede with a potion with Neville Longbottom, at the very least keep him from blowing up the dungeon," he said.

"Yes sir," Amily replied. She got to her feet and approached the gawky young man she knew as Neville Longbottom. "Would you mind if I worked with you?" she asked in her most innocent, affectionate tone.

"Err, I don't want to slow you down," he replied, gnawing on his lip.

"I don't think you will," she replied with a smile, this smile, unlike her greeting, was not forced. The boy was the kind of friendly she herself felt she might like to be. He looked up to her face and couldn't help but return her grin.

"Alright, what do you want to try?" he asked. Amily looked to the board, her mind came to several potions she would have tried if she had been on her own, but considering the warning from Snape she ruled them out.

"A sleeping draft seems reasonable," she mused. It was the easiest she could think of with the available ingredients, and it was the least likely to cause damage to people or property. Neville nodded. Amily and Neville walked to the front and retrieved the ingredients Amily reeled off her mental list.

"How do you know all this without looking in the book?" he asked. Amily paused for a moment and then smiled, using knowledge she'd come across when tutors for her worse off classes came up.

"I like Potions the way you like Herbology, it just comes naturally," she explained. He grinned, recognizing the compliment to his Herbological skills. They returned to their seats and proceeded. By the end of the class, not only had nothing exploded, Neville had actually done half of the work on the potion and succeeded. Amily wondered briefly if Snape had been wrong about Neville, until Snape drew near them and Neville began to quiver. Snape started with the row in front of them.

"This is just sad Mr. Weasley, no effort what so ever, five points from Gryffindor," he scowled. "Very nice Ms. Granger, ten points to Gryffindor, it seems Weasley may owe you for covering his bum, hmm?" he said, he seemed in a very good mood. He came to Neville and Amily. He carefully craned his neck to peek into the potion.

"A sleeping draft?" he asked. Amily nodded. He looked down at the calm sky blue color within and from her vantage point Amily watched a smile creep onto his face. The odor was one of calming lilacs mixed with something else, something like the essence of warm milk. "Good, simple, but well prepared. Five points to each of your houses," he said in his usual dark tone. When he returned to his upright state his smile was gone and his face was stony again. Neville thanked Amily, hugging her and assuring her he'd even it out for her. She assured him he didn't have to if he would stop hugging her because she couldn't breathe. Neville ran out of the room, apparently to get to his next class. Amily was the last one in the class aside from Snape.

"Miss Rutherford, stay after for a moment?" Snape said from behind his desk.

"Professor Snape?" she asked nervously. She must have looked quite frightened because Snape's usual harsh tone was far softer than she anticipated.

"I know you chose that potion because it was easy, I know you wanted to use a different one, I saw it the moment I turned the board. If you'd like come back during lunch or your free period this afternoon, you could make a potion on your own," he offered. Amily paused, shocked by the gentleness of the offer and the opportunity he was so easily offering up to her.

"Thank you Professor," she replied with a smile. He gave her a stiff nod, and with that she hurried out of the room. She went on her way to Defence Against the Dark Arts. She sat toward the back of room now, fully intent on imagining away the class. On her right suddenly was Pansy.

"You mind if I sit here?" Pansy asked. Amily nodded, distracted. She took the seat and watched the teacher lazily.

"I, as you all already know am Professor Crozwix, I will be your teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts. First of all we will be reading pages 12 through 37, tomorrow we will practice some of the spells explained therein." Amily flipped open her book to the appropriate page, and proceeded to read what he told them, her mind threatened to abandon the lesson more than once.

"You okay?" Pansy asked.

"Hmm? Why wouldn't I be?" Amily responded quietly.

"I dunno, you look sotra… off," Pansy mused.

"Ladies, would it be too much to ask that you went back to reading?" Professor Crozwix asked coldly from over them. Pansy and Amily flinched and stared back at the book. The class went by uneventfully. When the class ran out there was not a soul in the class that was not complaining, even the teachers' pets from Ravenclaw were irritated by the teacher.

"Hey, Amily- oh" it was Hermione, her eyes darted to Pansy. Amily paused, having expected Hermione of all people to be without prejudice to blood-typing.

"What're you doing Mudblood?" Pansy hissed.

"Pansy!" Amily snapped. Pansy was disarmed, as was Amily. Amily internally apologized to Hermione for her notion and rounded her irritation on Pansy. While she herself had nearly made the slip up, it was clear Pansy was intentionally smearing Hermione's heritage.

"B-but," Pansy mumbled. Amily shook her head and glanced to Hermione; she had a small smile on her face. Amily walked to where she stood, leaving Pansy a confused muddle.

"Hermione, I am so sorry, I had no idea she would be like that," Amily mumbled, scuffing her foot. She anticipated Hermione's irritation at her poor companion decision.

"It's okay," Hermione assured her. "You coming to lunch?" she asked. Amily was disarmed by the response so it took her a moment to recover.

"Err, no, I've got stuff I've got to do for Snape," she replied, studying Hermione's face.

"Ooh, sorry," Hermione replied with a chuckle. "See ya around," she offered. Amily nodded and walked off toward the dungeon, Snape was already there, eating in silence.

"Ummm, Professor?" Amily mumbled. Snape looked up. He took his time chewing and swallowing before responding.

"Ms. Rutherford, you're here to make your potion then?" he asked. Amily nodded. "Go ahead, the ingredients are still up on the board," he said simply, returning to his meal, watching her with eyes that expected her to fail or steal something expensive. Amily, very used to those same expectations, set to work. She took from the shelves about twenty different ingredients and brought them all back to her table. She set out her cauldron and proceeded to add things, chopping this and mashing that. Finally Snape came over to see how her potion was going.

"What are you making?" he asked. Amily did not reply, but pointed to a truth serum in her text, moments later her mind was lost in the careful grinding of the tip of some unicorn's horn.

"That's a bit complicated for your year, isn't it?" he asked.

"I'm a seventh year professor," she replied simply. Not arguing but stating a fact.

"True, but even then, most adults can't succeed with such a potion," he replied. Amily was taken aback.

"…"

"Not to say you're not talented, but I think that's too much for you," he said. His words but like daggers in her back.

"I've got this," she assured him quietly, her nerves jumped as he watched her every move, she could virtually feel his breath on the back of her neck.

"I don't think you're ready for such complicated potions work," he said. The vocal daggers twisted. She snapped around to face him.

"I would be doing a lot better if you weren't breathing down my neck every Merlin blessed moment!" she snapped. She turned away again, shocked once again by her own outbreak. _There must have be something in the air around here_ she thought uneasily to herself. Snape was silent for some time.

The two hour lunch was through its first hour when she finished. Amily backed up a step or two to study it. It was the color the text described, a deep mysterious shade of blue-purple; it had a distinct but undecipherable smell, a good but curious one. She looked up at him and there was a look on his face she had yet to see. Amily bit her lip afraid that she must have done something wrong.

"Professor?" she mumbled, scuffing her foot on the ground. His eyes flicked between the text and the cauldron a few times. The obsidian eyes darted up to her and then back to her potion.

"Amily, do you mind if I call you that?" she nodded, thrilling at her name on his tongue. "Amily, this is amazing, I've never seen anyone of your skill level complete a potion of this caliber," he mused. Though she knew very little about him, she couldn't help but admit internally that this was probably the closest the stony-featured man had ever come to gushing, or affection to a student for that matter. He looked up from the cauldron and into her face. Amily blushed under his approval and looked at his shoes to hide it.

"I-I have to go," Amily mumbled. She turned, grabbed her bag, and hurried out of the room, leaving Snape, both uncertain and bemused, behind her.


	3. Ch 3: Fancy

**_Chapter 3: Fancy_**

Amily walked quickly out the front doors and to the greenhouses, Herbology, Neville was waiting there for her. He grinned when he spotted her.

"Hey Amily!" he said with a brilliant grin. Amily smiled upon seeing him. "I saw you weren't at lunch, how come?" he asked.

"Well, I went back to Snape, and I made a potion of my own, to up my grade," she explained simply.

"Oh," Neville mumbled. He stared at the ground. It took Amily only a moment to recognize the down cast eyes and slumped shoulders. She broke into a nervous babble.

"Neville, I didn't mean that- It's nothing personal I just- Oh, please don't be mad," she pleaded. Neville smiled, his ego still somewhat sore but he could see where she was coming from.

"I understand," he shrugged. "It's fine."

"What Longbottom, her standards too high for ya?" Draco Malfoy scoffed. Amily felt her temper, which had never before so much as flickered, flare at his voice even before he'd finished speaking.

"Sh-shove off M-Malfoy!" Neville growled in an undertone.

"You say something Longbottom?" he taunted. Neville shook his head in automated response.

"Why do you have to be so rude Malfoy?" Amily demanded. Greg and Vinnie glanced at each other. Greg looked conflicted, while it seemed Vinnie had seen his companion turn to look at him and had mirrored it.

"I'm not _rude _Amily, he's just a coward," Malfoy responded. She slashed at him once with her wand, hitting his cheek and throwing his face sideways, He stumbled back against a suit of armor and her wand was instantly pressed to his throat. Amily wasn't surprised at her instant response. To put it bluntly Malfoy pissed her off and she was all too happy to harass him right back.

"You are going to apologize, and you're going to mean it or I'm going to immobilize your voice cords. Do you understand me?" she growled. The familiar flair of excitement roared through her stomach and her lips twisted up at the corners.

"Wha- C-Crabbe!" he whined. Amily glanced sideways at Vinnie, who caught her look and held up his hands in submission. Amily recognized the pleasant sensation that came with power and she reveled in it.

"You're on your own Princey, are you going to apologize or am I going to have to permanently mute you?" she hissed.

"Am- Miss Rutherford!" snapped Snape. Amily spun around, her eyes wide. Her power high instantly replaced with a knee-quaking horror.

"No, Professor I-"

"Enough, I would take points but then I would be penalizing the victim as well, detention, before dinner, starting tonight," he growled.

"But-"

"No buts, detention," he growled. He looked displeased by this, but he turned away quickly. Draco chuckled. Amily turned her attention back to Draco, glowering at him.

"This is not over," she hissed, the threat was sweet on her tongue. She walked toward the doors, snagged Neville's arm as she went. She heard Draco 'Oooh' as she pulled Neville, but it was a weak retaliation. Amily sat between Hermione and Neville.

"This term we will be dealing with several very rare and quite possibly dangerous plant life, therefore, I expect you all group up now, pairs of two, and you will be dealing with them the entire year, so do not chose someone intolerable, choose quickly, we're going to get to it immediately," she said.

"Neville?" Amily offered. He smiled and nodded, so they stood where they were.

"Ooh¸ Rutherford, don't lead the poor guy on, we all know who you're swinging for," Draco purred from across the table, he waggled his eyebrows. Amily rolled her eyes and folded her arms, forcing herself quiet. _He's trying to bait you_ she assured herself. "See, told ya so," Draco chuckled to Crabbe, who stifled his laughter.

"Somebody's gonna put him in his place and I just hope I'm there," Neville grumbled under his breath.

"You and me both," she growled back. Amily saw Pansy glowering at her from several feet away.

"What?" Amily growled, having more or less run out of patience for the spoiled little brats she shared the Slytherin title with. Pansy made a face and went to stand beside Draco, who looked superior, but mildly disgusted by her presence.

The class went by quickly, despite it actually being a very long class. Neville babbled about the plants, and through several long-winded, text-book-perfect explanations earned his house 25 points.

A perfect polar opposite, Amily hadn't taken Herbology in close to two years, and was immensely out of practice, she was bitten by a magical form of a Venus Fly trap, the name of which eluded her, and managed barely to avoid being blinded by what looked to her to be a poison spitting petunia. By the end Neville was laughing at her, and she was flushed and for the most part exhausted.

"Looks like I owe you a hell of a lot more than you owe me," Amily panted.

"You'll work it off," Neville chuckled. Amily liked the side of him she was pulling out of his shell, the confidence he radiated enthralled her. Hermione giggled to herself from Amily's other side.

"What's so funny?" Amily asked, one eyebrow rose.

"Oh nothing," Hermione responded, waving her hand like it would remove the question from the air. The class came to an end and Amily walked with Neville back to the school.

"What've you got now?" she asked.

"Care of Magical creatures with Hagrid," he replied simply.

"Wait," Amily paused, glancing back the way they'd come. "then you have to go that way, don't you?" she asked, gesturing in the general direction.

"Hmm, I suppose I do, later Amily," he said with a grin. He turned and strode off to the directions of the rundown looking shack beyond the greenhouse. Draco smirked as he walked past.

"What's got you all perky," Amily demanded.

"Who said you could talk to me?" Draco snorted. He then added, "I wasn't kidding you know, he's horribly sweet on you." Draco chuckled. "Hell, even the Mud-Blood sees it," he concluded, as though this were scientific proof.

"Why are you such an arse?" she hissed. "Why do all of you Slytherins spout racist bull like that?" she added.

"You're a Slytherin too," he pointed out. "Besides, you like the way I act, everyone does." He mused, oozing immodesty.

"_Right_," she replied sarcastically. She decided to make an effort, to calm the waters before she got expelled for killing him. "Hogwarts is really lax, four classes a day?" she mused.

"Why're you talking to me?" he reiterated, casting her a sideways glance as though he expected her to stab or hex him as they walked.

"I dunno, you're the _prince_ of my house, isn't there some royal decree that says I have to treat you like a god or something?" Amily replied.

"That didn't stop you from slapping me this morning," he mused. "Or threatening to mute me… to be honest Rutherford, you've been a little shit since you got here," he said sharply. Amily noted with satisfaction, a slight pink spot on his left cheek where her palm had landed.

"I dunno what got into me, I'm not usually like this, and I guess I just got fired up, you were so mean. You do know you're mean, don't you?" she paused with a smirk.

"It's one of my many quirks, you'll learn to appreciate it," he assured her. Amily rolled her eyes but went on.

"Long story short, I did it because Pansy needed it, but I see why anyone would despise her. She's two faced, and she acts surprised when people get mad at her for it," Amily mused. "Although, I guess maybe it's a Slytherin thing," she mused.

"I see," he responded. At that point he did something completely against his nature, thoroughly shocking Amily. He let the topic drop. "Anyway, what were you saying?" he asked.

"Hmm? Oh, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was asking about the Schedule, four classes a day seems, I dunno, lazy. I thought Hogwarts was a top-notch school," she responded.

"It's only like this today, tomorrow we have loads more classes, six, seven, one or two people have eight classes. Your new schedule will be in your room," he explained.

"I lied, this place is going to kill me," she sighed. Draco snorted, pleased with her displeasure. Amily paused, glancing this way and that in a very conspiratorial fashion.

"What?" Draco asked, glancing around himself.

"Where are your minions?" she asked.

"What?"

"Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle," she clarified.

"Oh, right, they're in a different class, this class and their second periods were switched so they could be in the lower grade classes," he explained. Amily nodded. "You really didn't notice Longbottom was fond you?"

"Nope, I was too busy dodging man-eating cacti to notice anything else," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"We didn't work with any of those today though," Draco pointed out. Amily glanced at him, concerned with his simplicity but she noted his smirk and realized he was teasing.

"You get my point," she replied, making a face. "Can't you lay off on him just a little?" she added.

"What you're little _boyfriend_ can't take a little friendly competition?" he chuckled. Before Amily could catch the just of what he'd said they had both turned into Transfiguration. Draco sat down in the third row and Amily, not wanting any rumors of her and the Prince of Slytherin floating around, sat in the second on the opposite side of the room.

"Alright class, I am Professor Sava, you can call me Sophie, I'll respond to that one," she said with a smile to the class. "Alright, I'm sorry to say today is going to be a basic study day, because I don't want any classes getting ahead or behind, so, pop out your texts and flip through it, I know most of you won't be reading it, and that's alright, today is just a warm up day anyway, if any of you have any questions about the curriculum or about Transfiguration in general, don't hesitate to ask me," she said with another gleaming grin, and sashayed her way to her desk.

Amily sighed, and retrieved her book. She flipped open the cover and therein was a piece of folded parchment.

Blood-traitor,

You should know I don't take lightly what you pulled this

Morning, you sided with a Mud Blood and that makes you one

Of them, pity, you would've been perfect as one of us, your

loss.

-Pansy

Amily stared at the paper for some time; she read it three times before deciding Pansy was all talk. With a silent spell the piece of parchment turned into a white dove and fluttered off out the window.

"My my, who was that?" Sava mused, her eyes trained on the elegant white bird sitting on the windowsill. Amily raised her hand.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"Sorry? This is _transfigurations_ and that was a mighty fine one right there, ten points to you house. What house is it? Slytherin? Ten points to Slytherin," she tittered and then grinned again. Amily smiled and then went back to flipping through her book.

By the end of class, both Slytherin and Hufflepuff had earned thirty points. Slytherin would have had fourty, however Crabbe it seemed had thought it would be funny to transfigure a Hufflepuff. Ten points were taken away and Sophie had been 'very dissapointed'.

"Hmm, I suppose I'll let you out a little early, run along then," she said with another of what had become her trademark toothy grin.

"Nice one," Draco mused as they walked out of the class. Amily shrugged and the two headed down the stairs. When Draco turned to go to the common room he paused as Amily went the other way.

"Where're you going?" he asked.

"Don't you remember? _I_ got detention for trying to jinx _you_," Amily replied. She made a face.

"Oh, right," he mused. He caught her arm and pulled her into an embrace. More shocked than anything she didn't pull away and he took this as an invitation. "Maybe this'll make up for it," he mused. He smashed her lips with his, pushing her back flush with the stone wall. He held himself up with one arm against the wall beside them and cradled her face with the other. Amily paused only a moment before panic swarmed her. _No!_ she shrieked internally and shoved him back.

"Who do you think you are?" she demanded. Her eyes threatened to water.

"What? Saving yourself for Longbottom?" he snarled back, clearly shocked by the idea that anyone would _not_ want to kiss him.

"Buggar off you creep!" she snapped. She could have guessed he would ruin their almost friendship. She turned and stormed down the hall to potions. She waited outside the potions door until he let his class go and then walked in.

"Amily, you're quick," Snape mused. Amily thrilled as her name rolled off his tongue with such ease.

"Ms. Sava let us out early," she explained.

"I see, well, get to it. You'll be organizing the ingredient shelves. Alphabetically, by hand, none of that foolish wand waving in my class," he mused. Amily nodded. She walked to the wall of ingredients where things had been carelessly shoved where ever they would stay. Amily proceeded to remove everything from the shelves. She noticed that Snape was sitting on one of the tables watching her intently.

"Umm, Professor?" she mumbled nervously.

"Just making sure you don't cheat, I've seen how wand happy you are," he said. The look on his face was a new one. It took her a moment to recognize it as a teasing face. Amily rolled her eyes and giggled. She went back to her methodical removing of the ingredients, placing them in a line according to neat hand-written labels. Roughly an hour later she was finished removing the ingredients. She paused and looked to Snape, who hadn't moved.

"A at the top or Z at the top?" she asked.

"That's an odd question, why would it matter?" he asked, curiosity flickered across his face before being replaced with calculated boredom.

"Well, Professor, there aren't very many tall people in this class, and we tend to use the ingredients earlier in the alphabet more, so if the later letters were at the top, and the earlier at the bottom, people would be more apt to at least try to put them back right," she explained with a shrug. Snape blinked. It took Amily a moment to realize he had expected her to be simply delaying her work as opposed to asking a serious question.

"That's very bright, go ahead then Z to A," he mused, gracing Amily with a legitimate smile. Amily proceeded to put things onto their shelves, she started with her A end at the bottom, seeing as she was hovering roughly around 5'2"l, she saved the harder things for last. By the time she got to the second to top shelf she was on her tippy toes trying to push things into their perspective places. She managed barely to get the last on the row, but was left with the top row yet to go. She picked up the next container in her list and, stretched to reach up to the top shelf. She was a few inches from the shelf when she felt warmth close behind her. A pale hand took the container and easily set it on the shelf. Amily spun around to find herself flush with Snape.

"Having trouble?" he asked with a small smirk. Her throat went dry, she managed to nod. "Have a seat, I'll finish, but you do at least have to be present for the entire punishment," he said. Amily recognized the pleased look on his face at his obvious effect on her, although she was pretty sure he thought it was fear. Amily scuttled out from between him and the shelves. She took his spot on the desk and watched him. He didn't have to stretch at all to place the last of the ingredients on the shelf. When he turned back around her eyes darted away, Amily couldn't say whether he had noticed or not. His chuckle made her stomach twist.

"Why are you all giggly?" Amily asked, trying to sound as good humored as possible.

"Oh nothing, since as you're here, would you care to test some of your class' potions?" he asked, then added "your opinion would impact grades," as a bribe. Amily nodded quickly willing to spend as much time in the class as she was able.

First they tried a loath potion on a rat, it turned out rather well considering the rat hissed at the rodent in the cubicle beside it. Snape looked to Amily.

"Not bad, sort of weak, but a really good effort," she responded, trying a little too hard to sound scholarly and sure of herself. Snape nodded his agreement, they looked back at the rodent and it was already back to normal. They slowly worked their way through the other potions, including hers and Neville's which cause the rat to fall into a deep sleep.

"I don't think I'm allowed to comment on this one," she mused.

"If you hadn't been there would it have worked?" he asked. Amily pondered that.

"You know of course, Professor, that Neville is horribly afraid of you. No offence intended, so I think he's too nervous to succeed in this class, if he dealt with said fear, I think he could have, yes," she said. Snape nodded again. Amily got to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Snape asked. Amily flinched, recognizing his domineering tone, she turned back to him, averting her eyes from his and clasping her hands together near her waist.

"We've run out of potions Professor," she said, putting as much effort into hiding her own disappointment as possible.

"No, not quite," he mused. He picked up a large glass container of a purple-blue liquid and set it on the table.

"My truth serum sir? How can we test that, rats don't talk." He did not respond, instead he took a small glass, a shot glass, and poured some of the serum into it.

"Professor, you can't try it on yourself, what if I made it wrong you could get sick," she squeaked worridly.

"And I couldn't let you for the very same reason, I'd lose my job over such a thing," he replied. "Besides, it wouldn't be the first time I got sick on a bad potion," he shrugged.

"You drink all of your students' concoctions?" she asked, sitting back down.

"More so early in my career, not in some time though," he mused.

"Professor, I couldn't live with myself if I made you sick," she said firmly.

"Then we'll try it together, that way, no one can feel guilty," he mused. Amily nodded. Snape set out a second glass and filled it the same as the other.

"Ready?" Amily mused. She picked up her glass. Snape tapped his against hers.

"Cheers," he chuckled and downed his quickly. Amily did the same. Reveling in the richness, not of the potion but of Snape's voice.

"How do we tell?" Amily asked.

"Wait a minute, and then I'll ask a question I know you wouldn't answer otherwise, if you reply truthfully, I can tell from your face, then it works," he replied with a shrug.

"Alright." They waited a few minutes in relative silence.

"Amily, do you fancy anyone? He asked, his voice had the distinct unevenness of someone who had been drugged, or who had ingested a mind-altering potion. Which he had. Her mind told her to shake her head, but out of her mouth popped

"Yes." Amily's eyes grew wide, and she threw her hands over her mouth.

"Ha-ha, good show, congratulations it works," he chuckled.

"That was low Professor," Amily replied, her voice dipping into whining territory.

"No Amily, low would be asking who that person was," he mused, carefully wording it so she wouldn't have to answer.

"True," she mused. "Could I ask a question?" she asked. Snape nodded. Amily thought for a short while. "Hmm, worst day?" she asked.

"I was still attending school here, James Potter, sorry little rat that he was, decided it was Prank Severus day, they did everything from pantsing me to tossing me in the lake," he mused. His face went pink and he glared at Amily. "That was low," he hissed, although he didn't seem too upset. She saw a shimmer in his eyes. Something she hadn't expected. It was boyish, immature. Her eyes went wide again, it was revenge.

"Professor, please don't do what I think you're going to, I'd die of embarrassment if you did!" she pleaded. He smirked.

"Nope, Amily you asked me my bad question, now it's your turn," he replied.

"But I didn't know it would embarrass you that much!" she pleaded.

"Nope, tough, _who_ do you fancy?" he asked. Amily's face flushed. She stared at her lap and mumbled.

"I didn't hear you, that's cheating!" he accused.

"It is so! Wait, what!" she gasped at her own words.

"Ha, you agree, no cheating, tell me," he said superiorly. Amily gnawed on her lip, forcing the words to stay down. "Oh come on, it can't be that bad, I won't laugh," he assured her.

She opened her mouth to tell him that wasn't what she was worried about, but the words she'd trapped inside her lungs came out instead.

"Severus Snape." Snape's eyes grew wide, Amily's face flushed a dozen shades paler and she pushed immediately up to runaway.

It was then that her heart stopped, A cool hand had caught her wrist and spun her around. Next thing she knew Snape was holding her flush against him. He leant down and pressed his cool, soft lips to hers. Her heart fluttered, and she was certain she had fallen and bashed her head. He pulled back, slightly, then placed his head against hers, his lips moving over her ear as he spoke.

"I think I fancy you too," he whispered. He caught her lips again in an instant. His tongue slid along her lips, virtually pleading for her to let him in, she did allowing his masterful tongue explore her mouth. After some time he pulled away. Amily's breath was ragged, and his quick.

"I can't tell you I want to end this, not with this serum still in my head, but if it's going to last we have to keep it quiet, nobody can know, you understand?" he asked. Amily nodded. She smiled slightly. He kissed her forehead.

"Head to dinner," he said. "I'll be along later," he assured her, she nodded. Amily turned, grabbed her bag and strode to the great hall, her heart fluttered wildly in her chest as she went. Once she was a bit down the hall she pulled her wand from her robes and, just for good measure fixed her hair and attempted to even out the color of her cheeks with a flick of her wand. Finally, she glanced back over her shoulder, seeing nobody, she tweaked the skin of her arm and gasped. It hurt. She was awake. She found herself grinning foolishly and had to wait a few minutes for her hormones to quit raging before continuing.

Amily entered the Great Hall and made her way to the Slytherin table, taking the only open seat, the one beside Draco.

"Bloody hell, what took you so long?" he asked, apparently trying to brush off the earlier events. That made sense, his ego wouldn't do well to sit for very long on rejection. Being in the good mood she was in, she allowed it. For fear that the potion hadn't worn off yet she carefully shrugged. The food was already down; she let it pass but took a long drink from her pumpkin juice to rinse away any lasting effects from the potion. Scarcely a minute passed before the food gave way to dessert. Amily allowed herself a cupcake with green icing on it.

"Don't you ever eat?" Crabbe asked, in between mouthfuls of sweets.

"Of course I do," she replied. It registered in her mind however that the only things in her system were the remains of the serum and the cupcake. Upon realizing this, she also realized she was immensely hungry. She proceeded to munch on the cupcakes. She felt eyes on her and glanced sideways to see Severus looking back. His eyes darted away, and she copied him. Her stomach twisted, she ignored it and moved to take a slice of a large chocolate cake with green icing on it. She ate as delicately as she could, almost certain his eyes would be on her on and off throughout the meal.

Finally the meal ended, but Amily made no move to leave the table. She was hungry, and didn't care what others thought of it. She was satisfied to see both Crabbe and Goyle hung back too. She assumed it was probably a regular occurrence for them. As she ate, someone in a red and gold tie walked up beside her. Amily swallowed and whipped her mouth with her napkin before looking up into Neville's face.

"Beat it Longbottom." Crabbe growled. Amily caught his wrist and Twisted hard, like she had seen in an action film, he let out a squawk that let her known even if she hadn't done it right it had in fact caused the intended effect.

"Any comment Gregory?" she asked. Goyle shook his head quickly. Neville laughed beside her.

"What's up Neville?" she asked with a small smile.

"I just realized I didn't thank you, you had detention with Snape because of me, so, thanks," he said with a smile.

"Heh, no problem, It wasn't really that bad," she mused. "And I think we aced our sleeping potion," she added with a flicker of a smile.

"Really? Cool!" he said proudly. Amily chuckled.

"Yupp." Amily mused.

"I'm off to bed, see you later," he said with a small grin. Amily nodded and returned it. Amily saw Severus still at the head table watch Neville go with a vicious, maybe even rabid look in his eyes. She ignored it. Draco popped back into the room.

"Crabbe, Goyle, come on!" he scowled. His eyes fell upon Amily, but said nothing. Amily nibbled on a donut as Goyle and a slightly sore Crabbe went to him. Several minutes passed, and finally Severus walked down and stood beside her.

"What was that look at Neville?" she asked quietly.

"He was looking at you like- like-" he paused, looking for what it was like.

"Like I'm naked?" she mused. Severus paused, and then slowly nodded. "I think you'll have to get used to that, a lot of the guys here look at me like that," she chuckled, and it was true. Though she was sure it was only the thrill of having a new, mysterious girl in their classes plenty of males seemed to be casting her interested glances. Severus frowned.

"Really?" he asked. Amily nodded. He sighed.

"What?"

"I can't stand it, they all look at you like you're theirs for the taking, but you're not you're mine," he whispered. Amily giggled.

"I don't think there's much I can do about that," she replied. He looked upset, but let it pass.

"Off to bed with you," he mused. She smiled and nodded. They walked as far from each other as they could, so nobody who they might happen upon would think they were walking together.


	4. Ch 4: Distortions of Teenage Love

**_Chapter 4: Distortions of teenage love_**

Amily glanced about as they reached the Slytherin wall crack, the hall was completely abandoned.

"Good Night Professor," Amily said intent on sounding calm, but coming across as a love sick school girl. He chuckled, followed her earlier example, checking the hall, he took her hands in his and quickly brushed his lips across hers possessively.

"Be seeing you Ms. Rutherford." And with that he walked off, she detected a distinct swagger in his step and an extra swing in his hips, and she knew he was teasing her again. On most that prance would be off putting, but on him… Amily felt her heart flutter. She also felt a paper light weight in her hand, the one which still tingled from his touch. She was about to investigate it when she was chocked by a sudden crunching sound was summoned from the rock wall as somebody inside went to open the door.

"Running late?" came the quiet drone of Theodore Nott's voice.

"I- er… yeah, a bit…" she said, her words tripping slightly as they escaped her lips. He chuckled and waved her past as he made his way out into the hall. She entered the room and truly took it in for the first time. It gave her a distinct sense of severe morbidity. Black and grey littered the entire room. The fireplace was dull and empty. The room smelt slightly of musty water, probably because it was beneath the lake. All in all however the green drew attention in the room, making it bearable and perhaps inviting to the right individuals. She noted the right individuals too. Greg and Vinnie sat playing a game she was familiar with, Muggle checkers. She couldn't help but roll her eyes, because there were wizard chess pieces sitting idly beside the board and it seemed like a much better use of the of it. She saw Draco in a massive black arm-chair, his feet draped over one arm and his back and arms against the other. He was watching the game with a severe distaste on his face.

"Amily!" Greg called brightly. He smiled and waved in a very un-Slytherin fashion. Amily smiled back and slipped the sheet of paper discreetly into her pocket as she walked over.

"You don't play chess do you? I don't think I could watch these imbeciles play one more game of cheakers-"

"It's _checkers_ Draco," Vinnie snapped. He was winning, so he clearly liked the game a lot. Amily glanced down at the board as Vinnie moved one of his pieces. Before Greg could move his however, she cut in. "When you guys finish, can Draco and I use the board, if I can't slaughter him with my wand I'll squash him in chess," she mused, and smirked at Draco. It seemed playful, and it was clear Draco, Vinnie, and Greg took it that way, but in all honesty it was very legitimately what Amily intended.

"Sure," Vinnie and Greg replied simultaneously. Amily nodded, picked up one of Greg's checker pieces and in one long winded move demolished Vinnie's entire armada.

"Done," she stated, picking up the taken pieces. Both boys stared at the board for a moment, before getting to their feet.

"You play that Muggle game?" Draco asked, simultaneously amused and disgusted.

"Wizards and Witches aren't very common in the US, I spent a lot of time around Muggles," she shrugged. Draco nodded. "I'll be right back, I'll get my set." Without another word she went to her room to find her chess set. She pulled her cloak off as she entered the room and hung it on the hook on the back of the door, much more comfortable without its formality.

She opened her trunk, shifted two shelf-drawers out of the way and pulled the small mahogany box out, and flipped it open, making sure her chess force was there, and they were.

Amily closed the box again and went back to her door. She paused as she looked at the pocket of her robe; she quickly fished out the secret. A small grey parchment envelope, a serpent coiled as the seal on the back around a pair of S's. She pondered opening it for some time, but then decided to wait until she returned to her room. She found her schedule placed on her crisp bed and folded it around the letter before tucking it under her pillow.

Finally, she left the room and went down stairs chess set in hand. Draco's force was already set up on the board. His set suited him very well, as did most sets belonging to those who played regularly. Cold, marble pieces, each inlayed with what looked like real silver, green gems set in where each piece's eye would be. He saw her admiring them and he smirked.

"If you want to borrow a set, you could, I know yours probably aren't as well made as mine," he mused superiorly. As he spoke Amily lifted the lid of the box and out marched her brigade. They did not even look like they should be chess pieces, at least not ones that should have been played with. Slim dark colored pieces. No knick to show they had been carved or chiseled and the rock or wood they had been made of was unrecognizable. They were virtually shrouded in mystery, and utterly beautiful. If anything she had ever owned she was proud of, it was this chess set.

"You were saying?" she smirked as her pieces took the board. Draco did not respond instead he gave his first order. The pawn he had spoken to leapt at his command. Amily retaliated and so the game went for several hours.

By the near end of the game Greg sat on the floor, his head resting in Amily's lap, fast asleep. While Vinnie was simply covering a great arm chair, drooling slightly.

"Your move Draco," she challenged. She had four pieces while he had only three, and he was in check. He paused and studied the board, and then her face, before returning to the board again. He looked like a real pro deciphering each of her moves before she should make it. It would have been a very disarming act, if she hadn't seen him do it every turn. He called upon his bishop to shift back three spaces, blocking her attack on his king, holding a defense on the bishop with his queen.

"Check," he growled, and she was slightly shocked to find it was true. She frowned and looked over her pieces, she finally decided to move her king just a spot away.

He moved his queen so it took out a knight she had been careless with. Amily watched the move. She took his queen with her rook and smirked at him. He was left with his bishop and his king, and the bishop was in danger. He moved it as it was his last resort to take out her last remaining pawn, and as the piece sighed and left the board she moved the queen the bishop had been being used to block and the king was gone.

"Voila your princelyship, your king has been conquered!" she smiled as she spoke and Draco smiled back. Greg stirred from his place at her heals and upon trying to sit up bashed his head on the underside of the chess table. Pieces flew everywhere. He cussed and curled out from under the table. Amily could not help but laugh and Draco howled wildly. Greg shook his head and yawned, he seemed disoriented, but not hurt. Amily chuckled as she got to her feet to retrieve the pieces. Searching under the sofa and near chairs she finally found all of her pieces and tucked them safely back into their box. Draco did the same, although he instead sent Greg and Vinnie to find them.

The four of them yawned simultaneously, which sent them all into a bright thrill of exhausted laughter.

"I'm going to wander off to bed," Amily mused.

"Good idea," Greg mused, rubbing a large bump on the side of his head. The four went to the staircases together, Amily went up while they went down.

She hurried up the stairs and flopped down onto her bed, almost completely exhausted. She kicked off her shoes and without bothering to change out of her uniform, she curled up under the blanket. She was in the process of dozing off when she heard the quiet crinkle of paper, and she remembered the secret Severus had given her. She rummaged amongst her pillows for quite some time before finding it, still wrapped in her schedule.

She unfolded the schedule and held the grey letter for some time, her nerve endings seemed to sizzle with enthusiasm. Finally she carefully peeled up the seal and retrieved what was inside, a letter, not surprising. She unfolded the letter and read silently:

Dear Amily,

I know enough of you to know you are probably feeling somewhat out of place in this new environment. Should you need any help call upon Riviera, she is a house-elf who works directly for me, I have sworn her to secrecy over anything involving you she is at your beck and call. I do however suggest you try to keep from calling her in public, a few people may recognize her, I hope she helps you. I'll see you tomorrow.

Severus

Amily grinned at the letter, she thought for a little while about calling the house-elf, but decided not to, it was probably busy. She sighed and reclined, cuddling into her pillows she smiled. She was just beginning to drift off when she heard a quiet pop. She sat bolt upright and took a sharp intake of breath to see a tall figure standing in the doorway beside a tiny flop-eared person.

"Amily," he purred warmly and walked to her bedside, she felt a thrill rise in her bosom to see Severus in the dim half light of a glowing candle he had summoned to her bedside table. He reached out and gently moved a stray hair out of her face. "I really shouldn't have come in unannounced, it's neither decent nor respectable… I…" he paused. "I missed you," he whispered. He sounded awed by the fact. Amily felt a blush rise in her cheeks, and she could not find words. He sat on the edge of her bed and leaned slowly toward her, at the same time he cradled her in his hand. He brought his lips down to meet hers and she felt her entire body flash like fire. She laced her fingers through his hair and he shifted closer to her so she could. She felt him lower her until she was lying on the bed and he shifted so he was lying over her, She could feel him trying to keep his weight off of her, but she pulled him closer and he relented, pressing close. She could feel every aspect of his body against her, his chiseled chest dominating her slimmer feminine one. His strong, defined limbs around her. He finally pulled away, and he gazed down at her. He smiled briefly, before forcing himself to sit up.

"Severus? Where are you going?" she asked, slightly disoriented by the sudden lack of contact.

"You need sleep, I can see it clearly in your face," he replied. She bit her lip, trying desperately to summon courage from somewhere within to ask him to stay, but she failed. She spotted the small house-elf waiting for her Master to need to leave, she waved the little creature over and whispered into its ear. It looked up at her, and giggled. "Alright, Riviera, time to go," he sighed.

"No sir," the house-elf replied, locking eyes with Amily, who smiled.

"What?"

"Master told Rivi to do as the pretty girl asked, pretty girl says master stay. So Master stay," she smiled, and Amily blushed as Severus' eyes fell upon her.

"You're a very sneaky young woman Amily, but I doubt you've thought this through," he mused, he got to his knees on her bed, caught her wrists, carefully pinning them over her head. "I don't know how well I'll be able to control myself if I stay here tonight," he purred into her ear. He kissed her neck. His teeth grazed her sensitive skin and her eyelids fluttered, though of course, he couldn't see that.

"Rivi will go, call Rivi when Master is ready to leave… or allowed to." The house-elf vanished with a pop. Amily sighed weakly as Severus' smooth lips caressed her neck. He sighed against her skin and kissed her lips briefly. Severus rolled off and gazed at her, eventually deciding to curl up under the blankets with her. He wrapped his arms around her, and though he was stiff, clearly not used to this sort of affectionate embrace Amily nuzzled close to him.

After a few minutes her breath became steady and he decided she was asleep. Severus unraveled her from him and inched back. He could not place his connection to her, but there was most definitely something strong there. Guilt washed over him as he realized that he was laying in bed with a girl, not only far too young for him, but one that he had only known for what, two days? He was not sure if he should be angry with himself or at her for being so drawing to him. His inner ramblings broke off as he heard her speaking. He was shocked to hear her whimpering, she wasn't headstrong, but she didn't seem the kind to whimper and cower. She mumbled about her sister, and about fire, and he decided to wake her.

"Amily?" he asked, shaking her gently. She woke with a start and tried to squirm out of Severus' hold. "Amily, Amily! Calm down, it's okay…" he whispered and upon recognizing his voice she tensed for only a moment, before looking up at him.

"I- I'm sorry…" she whispered, and then stared at his chest, only to avoid his eye. He tilted her chin again, so he could look at her, and he was surprised to see deep green eyes staring at him.

"Don't be sorry… are you alright?" he whispered, concerned.

"I- yeah," she muttered. He wrapped his arms around her and she sighed, cuddling into him again. She drifted off to sleep again. Severus held onto her for what felt like hours, protective and possessive. Their difference didn't bother him, their similarities however, the night terrors, albeit about different things, drew him close to the small girl in his arms.

In his forceful embrace, Amily did not stir again.

* * *

**_A/N_**

Hey,

So as you can see, if you're a re-reader, I changed a lot of Snape's dialog. I wanted him to be a bit more in character and a lot more possessive of Amily 'cause I think that's how he'd be... So yeah, I hope you liked it :D

**_PLEASE COMMENT: I NEED THE CRITICISM :D Especially on how Severus acts here, I want to know if he seems more in character or not. Thanks._**

Love, Simmers


	5. Ch 5: Of Internships and Masters

_Chapter 5:_

_Of Internships and Masters_

Amily woke up to find her room empty. She sighed, glancing around quickly and letting out a shrill squeak as her she met the tennis ball sized eyes of a very close house-elf.

The elf yelped and fell forcefully onto its backside on the floor. "Rivi is sorry miss," the house-elf whimpered. She moved to snatch from the tabletop a thick dark lamp and just as the thick ceramic figure was about to splatter on her domed skull Amily snatched it away.

"No," Amily hissed. Disapproval seared into the elf's ears and it looked confused. Amily felt the discomfort of a servant giving orders, but she followed her intentions through none the less.

"I don't want you bludgeoning yourself Rivi," she said firmly and the elf tilted her head.

"But Master says-"

"Master said to listen to me, right?" Amily responded, reasoning forcefully with the elf. Rivi nodded. "Then you won't hurt yourself any more, no violence, 'kay?" Rivi let a small smile form on her lips and then nodded.

"Good, so… why are you here exactly?" Amily asked, finally managing to wake up enough to realize she was tired.

"Oh, Master simply wanted Rivi be here when Miss woke up," Riviera replied, nodding quickly. Amily nodded sleepily and got to her feet. As she moved she saw a small partially crinkled piece of parchment tumble from the sheets. She reached for it and found it to be her new schedule. She smiled with approval, tucked it into her bag and then turned to Rivi.

"Right, well Rivi, ummm, I need to get dressed for classes, go tell... _Master_ I'll see him later, alright?" she offered. Rivi smiled, nodded, and with a 'pop' vanished. Amily peeled off her clothes and after scourging herself she snatched up another set of clothes and her robe. She changed and left her room. As Amily strode down her stairs she magic'd her hair into a suitable form and found herself amongst her fellow Slytherins.

"Amily!" Greg called, waving enthusiastically, getting a shocked look from both of his companions. Amily could not help but notice that Pansy was not amongst them but pouting on the sofa some feet away.

"Morning," she mused sleepily.

"Breakfast now?" Vinnie asked eagerly.

"You guys haven't eaten yet?" Amily asked, more than a little bit surprised.

"_He_ had us wait for you, not that we mind of course, but, we're hungry," Vinnie whined, and Greg nodded in agreement. Amily looked at Draco who had been identified as the "_he_" of the statement and nodded.

"I say we eat," she mused. Greg and Vinnie darted through the door before either Draco or Amily could move. Draco stopped in the doorway and bowed out of the way.

"Ladies first… ish," he mused with a small smirk. Amily rolled her eyes but walked through none the less. The great hall was alight with early morning movement as students and teachers ate and milled around. Amily's stomach growled as she caught the first whiff of the delectable meal. She sat at the table almost instantly and piled high her plate.

Greg, Vinnie, and Draco gaped at her as the mountain of food formed and then with more intensity as it vanished. Greg and Vinnie followed her example while Draco munched delicately.

"So, what've you got first?" Draco inquired across the table to Amily.

"Hmm? Oh, ummmm, I dunno, let me check," she mused and then dug through her bag for the schedule.

~Morning Meal~

1: Advanced Potions; Professor S. Snape

2: Advanced Herbology; Professor P. Sprout

3: Care of Magical Creatures; R. Hagrid

4: Transfigurations; Professor S. Sava

~Early afternoon Meal~

5: Defense Against the Dark Arts; Professor

6: Charms; Professor F. Flitwick

7: Advanced Arithmancy; Professor Vector

~25 Minute break~

8: Internship; Potions Master S. Snape

9: Ancient Runes; B. Babbling

~Evening Meal~

"Advanced Potions," she mumbled, gaping at the nine class schedule.

"Me too," Draco replied, biting into a thin pancake covered in some bright red syrup.

"How many classes?" Greg inquired.

"Eight- er… nine? Do internships count?" she mused aloud.

"I didn't know Hogwarts offered internships…" Vinnie mused through a mouth full of blueberry muffin.

"They do if you have a career path picked out, what's the internship?" Draco responded.

"Potions, with S-nape," she mused, hauling the response of "Severus" back away from her lips.

"Ooh, rough," one of them mused, but she shrugged it off and the conversation ended as the swarm flew in and engulfed the ceiling with a great feathery cloud. A large creature only similar to a bird in that it had wings landed on four legs on the floor beside Amily.

"Anicetus!" she squeaked with a grin and threw her arms around its neck.

"Whoa! What _is _that?" Draco gaped in awe.

"I'm told he's a small dragon," Amily replied as she gently rubbed his nose. A small ploom of smoke was emitted.

"A _dragon_?"

Amily nodded and leaned back to take a small satchel from the dragon's clawed foot. She shifted the contents onto the table and gave back the satchel.

"Thank you Anicetus," she said, bowing her head in a gentle respect. He purred and nuzzled her face. His skin shimmered a vibrant jet black with eyes the color of simmering embers. Ancietus shifted and a small row of thick spikes revealed themselves briefly along his back amongst the feather-like scales. "Oh, you should come back around umm…" she checked her schedule "third period, you could meet that Rubeus Hagrid Norberta talks so much about." She mused with a grin. Ancietus nodded his regal head and took off again.

"Is it legal to own a dragon?" Draco asked.

"Probably not, but we don't own him, he just sticks around," Amily responded and once again the conversation was dashed as McGonagall stood and called for attention.

"Good morning Hogwarts pupils," she called, when no one responded she went on. "Right to business then… It has come to my attention that despite the _massive_ incident which occurred last year, the houses still hold strong grudges." She gave her house table a distinct look, then scanning over to Slytherin. "Therefore, I have invited our tri-wizard friends to visit, for a _masquerade ball_," she announced. Instantly the room was abuzz with interested chatter.

"There are rules!" she went on and all went silent to listen. "Good, now, throughout your next two weeks you will be working in most of your classes with disguises, charms, potions and transfigurations especially. You will not be permitted to go to the ball as yourself, and you will not be permitted to ask who each other are." she paused to allow the shocked whisper to die down again.

"It shall be two weeks from now, and you _will_ all be in attendance. Thank you for your time. You have about half an hour before your classes begin, spend it wisely." She paused, scanning the students. "I need Harry Potter, Amily Rutherford, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom up here please," she added.

Amily looked confusedly to her fellow Slytherins before getting to her feet. She spotted Harry, Neville, and Luna following suit.

When they got to the headmistress, they found that Severus Snape, Professor Crozwix, Firenze, and Pomona Sprout all stood behind her.

"I understand you all have apprenticeships this year?" The group nodded. "Good, so, you all know your 'Masters' then, your free time will be spent according to their preferences, your training begins now, understood?" she asked firmly. Again, weak nods came in response.

"Good, off you go then," she mused and walked away. Neville smiled at Amily before following Professor Sprout out of the room, Harry sighed and followed Crozwix, and Luna skipped after a very proud Firenze. Suddenly Amily felt all eyes on her and Professor Snape.

"You've finished eating?"

"Yes."

"Yes what?" he responded. Amily was confused. "I am the Master of your chosen craft, Miss Rutherford, I expect to be addressed as such," he responded, a silent glimmer of teasing flashed across his face.

"Yes… Master Snape?" she asked quietly. He smirked on the side away from the students.

"I think that will do just fine," he mused and then strode out of the room, Amily close on his heels. They walked through the school with a stern silence, when they finally reached the dungeon Snape walked in, held the door for Amily and then closed and locked it behind them.

With the swiftness of a wild beast he scooped Amily into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. He carried her carefully into his office, where he slammed the door shut behind him with one foot. Severus set her down onto her feet and pushed roughly so her hips tapped his desk. She felt her back hit a desk hard enough to let loose a gasp from her into Severus' mouth. He took the surprise in stride and teased his skillful tongue into her mouth. His hips pinned her back to the hands found purchase around his neck and his own began to quickly unbutton her robes.

Amily let go of him only long enough for her cloak to slip to the floor before wrapping herself once again around him. He smirked against her lips. His hands moved to her hips, massaging the flesh before sliding slowly up. His fingers left burning trails on her skin, even through the thin shirt. His fingertips danced around the hems of her bra and traced the edge. She groaned quietly against his strong kiss, and in a moment it was gone. His lips were suddenly rolling over her neck, teasing the delicate skin. Her hands ran through his thick hair, and her breath quickened as she felt his skillful fingers tugging her tie loose and then undoing the buttons of her shirt one at a time. She gasped a quiet "Severus" into the air. Half way through unbuttoning, his hand jerked and the rest of the buttons popped off, and the shirt fell open.

His mouth moved to her ear and he hissed, "What'd you call me?"Amily's mind fumbled before she realized what he meant.

"I-I'm sorry- M-master Snape," she gasped. He pulled back a bit, his hands still smoothing over her bare abdomen, but not moving to the delicate bloom of her bra-sheathed breasts.

Shaking his head, Severus' silky voice chastised her. "Now now, where would we be if we let slips like that go unpunished?" Amily's breath hitched. He scanned her face for any disapproval and briefly her mind's outskirts for nervousness, or dislike, he found none. He found only excitement and a strong force she was aware of flaring between her thighs. He twisted her around so she faced away from him, and pushed her torso down onto the desk.

"Oh Merlin…" she groaned as her fingers reached out and clung instinctivly to the far edge of the desk, sending papers askew. Severus could not help but smile as he watched the quickness of her breathing force her chest to push her up and down on his desk.

'_My desk…'_ he thought, and had to wonder if he would ever be able to grade on that desk without a hard-on. He pushed up her green and silver skirt, so it sat ruffled and tangled above her voluptuous cheeks. With his left hand he held her firmly to the desk, although the claws of her fingers around the wood did not seem to be intent upon moving. His right hand rose and then with a swift, strong movement came down upon the lightly covered, though still delicate, flesh. Amily yelped, and then gulped back a gasp. Again, his palm struck and then again, in quicker succession until she could not gulp down the gasps and they grew quickly from there to wild moans.

With every slap she could not help but thrust forward across his desk, as dozens of papers fluttered to the floor.

"Yess!" she groaned, feeling a pool forming, undoubtedly dousing his desk with every strike, "Yes," another flesh searing slap and another gasping-moan. "Master!" she managed. He chuckled and when his hand came to her rear again his motions were soothing, his palm gently rubbing while his fingers squeezed and massaged in just the right places. Her legs turned to unstable, quivering flesh as he finally let her go with his restraining hand. She panted slightly, still half-lying on his desk, hugging the hardwood to her.

"My my my, Miss Rutherford, I never pegged you for the masochist type…" he mused. Amily's face turned bright red. "Or maybe I'm wrong, maybe this," he moved one hand to the soaking puddle of her crotch and rubbed back and forth briefly, earning him a high moan, "isn't for me, what were you thinking of?" he purred. He pulled his fingers away from the soaking spot and wiped some of her mess onto her thigh. She could not bring herself to respond.

"I-" was as far as she got.

"Or do I have to go find it?" he purred, his voice much closer to her ear than expected. She knew what he meant, his skills with legilimency were not unknown. While she did want him in her at that point, it wasn't her mind she was hoping for. She did not particularly want him or anyone else delving in amongst homemade blockades of her mind.

"You, just you," she panted and then tried to right herself, but could not come fully upright immediately. "And those…" she swallowed hard. "talented hands," she added. Her lusting gaze settled on his skilled implements, after she allotted for a glance at the tent of his pants.


	6. Ch 6: A Raid and An Expedition

_Chapter 6:_

_A raid and an Expedition_

Severus smiled at Amily. "Masochist?" he asked simply. Amily's face flooded with color as the man of so many lies and misleading stepped closer to her. She wanted to wonder if he was intimidating her, until his hand came up to touch her face, and her misgivings turned to disoriented confusion.

Though it didn't make sense to Amily, this human interaction, it meant something to Severus. He was tense, perhaps uncomfortable, but he seemed to like the closeness, he liked Amily. Amily liked Severus, however, she didn't like his abrupt gentleness.

The strange, foreign affection heaved against Amily's ribs, so she found her way to change the situation as quickly as she could. She shifted to nip his palm and he smirked. His hand pulled back and feux slapped her, she twisted her face as though there had been force to the slap, though there hadn't been.

"I guess I am," she mused with a devilish shimmer in her eyes. "Must be why I'm sweet on you," she mused with a weak chuckle. It was a joke, Severus saw that and rolled his eyes. This good natured Severus was very much out of practice, so the eye-rolling looked foreign on his face. But Amily felt a smile forming inside, of course, it was a metaphoric smile and she didn't let it show, but it was there.

"You're withdrawing," he mused, as she withdrew.

"Uhm, yeah, I am…" she mused, raising an eyebrow.

"Inside, Rutherford, _inside_," he said watching Amily. She didn't answer, her face shifting in confusion, her eyes and outlying mind demanding he back off. He did. "I have a problem," he said simply. Amily raised an eyebrow. Severus shifted around behind his desk, placed himself in his chair and shifted his robes. He glanced between her face and his lap.

"I- oh…" Amily mused, blushing slightly. She stepped forward but Severus held up his hand.

"You offer yourself as mine?" he growled. Amily swallowed and met his eyes. A show of power, she assumed.

"Yes…" she murmured. He looked expectant. "Master," she added quickly. He smirked.

"Good," he mused. He took one hand and reached to his desk, withdrawing a small, black book and held it out to Amily. "You get to teach my Advanced Potions class, you'll follow the lesson plan later on," he mused, enjoying the surprise on her face.

" I…" she took the book.

"You earn my touch," he growled. Amily's face went pink. "You do _want_ my touch, don't you?"

"Of course," she responded instantly. He nodded, his hand, now without the book came down to pet his obvious bulge. Her eyes trailed his hand and she swallowed hard.

"Then go teach, I'll be in," he assured her. She nodded and moved quickly to the doorway, casting once last glance at Snape and then leaving the room, closing the door tight. Amily made her way to the front of the entrance of the class. She unlocked it and pulled it open. She hurried back to the front of the room, yanking her hair back into a high ponytail. She perched herself on the corner of the front desk and flipped through the book to the right date and studied, just the same way Hermione might study a text.

However, while Hermione hungered for knowledge, Amily hungered to be dominated by one, and to dominate all others. Not because she wanted to be stronger than any other, but because she wanted to be different than she had been before she arrived at Hogwarts. Whether she was aware of it or not, was questionable.

The classroom filled very slowly, as per usual. Nobody seemed to notice Amily perched on the desk watching them. However, they _did _notice, when class started and Snape was nowhere to be seen. Amily was opening her mouth to begin the lesson when a Slytherin pushed up from the table and turned to leave.

"I didn't dismiss you," Amily growled. Pushing up from her desk. The tall woman, halfway to the door snorted and shifted to look at Amily.

"You haven't got the authority."

"Are you quite certain?" Amily challenged. She watched the girl's face flicker between certain and alarmed.

"I…" the girl paused. Amily took the opportunity, years of imagining holding any sort of power, had prepared her to tear this young woman apart.

"I'm sure you're very comfortable with detentions. I'll bet you and Filch are the best of buddies, so you won't mind spending every evening from now until your graduation with him and that feline," she growled. The girl looked severely alarmed. It took only a few seconds for her to dart back into her seat. "Good Idea," Amily mused with a smirk. Much to her satisfaction there was a roll of laughter. "Alright, uhm, I'm not going to introduce myself because to be honest I'm not your teacher I'm a fill in," Amily explained. "I will however tell you that Professor Snape will be in here soon enough to go over how you all did with your potions. Until then, I need you guys to read 988, follow the directions. You know how this goes," Amily mused, setting the book back on the desk and watching them. It was strange to watch from this angle, to see the class scuffling for their cauldrons, yanking their books out and finding the page.

One student however, didn't move. Amily watched Neville flounder for a minute, before making her way down the aisle to him.

"You alright?" she asked quietly, gauging his level of panic as best she could with her limited people skills. "You look nervous…"

"Everyone else has a partner, you're my partner but you're playing professor." It was blunt, to the point, and whiney.

"I'm not_ playing professor, _I'm filling in for Professor Snape," Amily replied, doing a poor job of hiding her irritation.

"I.. right, sorry," he responded, smiling sheepishly. "Help?" he asked. Amily smiled.

"Give it a shot, if you need me you can ask for it." Seeing that he still looked uncertain she added, "think of it as a salve, instead of a potion… Herbology instead of Potions," Neville's face brightened and Amily smiled. "There ya go," she mused, retracting from where he sat as he grabbed his book and pulled a classroom cauldron toward him. She watched him enter his element. Minutes ticked by, Amily's mind shifting between _How long does it take that man to get off? _And _This isn't so hard… I can do this._

"… this doesn't look right…" Ron mused. Amily turned to watch A broad male Slytherin she didn't know the name of dropping a handful of hair into Ron Weasley's cauldron as Ron and Harry were checking their book. Amily paused briefly.

"What're you doing?" Amily asked abruptly. The perpetrator didn't turn, obviously content that it wasn't him at fault. Amily made her way forward, approaching the tables. "Ron, Harry, you need to start over," she said. Ron's head whipped around to glare at her. Amily snorted. "You don't _have_ to I guess, but you'll fail if you hand that in. I suggest _you_ move. Now," she growled. Harry watched her face, then shifted to glance at the Slytherin. Realization dawned on Ron first. He swiveled to glower at the boy.

"What were you shoving into our cauldron you great oaf!" Ron scowled, getting to his feet. _Crap_ Amily thought as she watched Harry rise to his feet, the Slytherin following suit and Theodore Nott, his partner, shifting uneasily. He shot Amily a look that said something like '_you're in charge!_ _stop them!_'

"Hey… guys, this isn't worth a scuffle!" Amily managed, trying to step between Ron and and the Slytherin, however, they were both taller than her and standing between them did nothing but make them raise their heads, which seemed to allow the angry hormones to hit their brains faster. "Uh.. please don't…" her sense authority quickly began to dissipate. "I'll get you detentions… I'll…." Nobody was listening, people sitting nearby were getting up, preparing for the fight. Hermione was trying to pull Amily out from between the boys.

"Sit _Down_." Amily, like the rest of the class whipped around to see a ruffled Severus Snape standing shooting daggers at the scuffle. "_Now._" It wasn't a request. The group around the boys dissipated and the boys standing chest to Amily to chest looked slightly deflated. Snape strode forward, yanking Amily out from between the boys and pushing her back.

To most it looked as though it was getting her out of the way, to Amily it was protective. It bothered her somewhere in the back of her head there was a reason, but she wasn't sure what it was.

" Separate," Snape reiterated. The boys slumped apart.

"Tell him he should sit somewhere else," Amily mused quietly, waving at the Slytherin.

"And why would I do that?" Snape asked, rounding on Amily.

"He… well, he was putting stuff into their cauldron," she replied. "He sabotaged them," Amily managed, waving to Ron and Harry. Snape frowned, turning back to the boy.

"Move, Mr. Pucey," he said simply. Amily waited for the points to be taken, but it didn't happen. Snape turned to walk back to his desk as Pucey packed his book into his bag.

"You're not going to chastise him?" Amily demanded, following him a step or two. He stopped.

"Rutherford, it's not your place to tell me if I'm teaching well or not." Amily met his eyes and her stomach twisted. _This _she was comfortable with.

"Of course sir," she replied gently. He nodded, his smirk flickering across his face. She swallowed hard as he waved her off and she retreated to where Neville sat. She watched Snape move, and watched him glance at her now and again, the look registered. Approval?

The gears of Amily's mind clicked into place and she realized: he'd expected her to fail, although probably less explosively. He wanted to punish her. She felt a thrill of excitement course through her body.

The rest of class went by without a hitch, Severus called up pairs of students to tell them the result of the previous day's potions, and most of them slumped back to their seats as though they had been socked in the stomach. By the end of the class she'd done almost nothing, Neville had concluded his potion, which was satisfactory for sure. He had gotten through enough of it before the scuffle ensued that even with his horror at Snape's presence he had scrounged a passing grade.

The class came to an and and the class filed to the front with filled and labeled vials of their concoctions, placing them in a rack. Snape addressed them as they returned to their seats to collect their things.

"These potions will be graded not on effect but on the format of the potion itself. These will not be tested individually." He paused, caught Amily's eye and then continued. "Leave your brews, Mr. Pucey, you will come in and clean them, I believe you had a free period sixth block? They will be quite ripe by then," Snape growled. Hermione helped some people who needed their cauldrons back siphon the brew into classroom cauldrons where they were set aside and quartered off by Snape with a silent spell of some kind. "You may leave," Snape waved at them as he spoke.

Amily was last to leave. "Rutherford, I'll see you during your next break, should you not be able to make it I'll expect you here for your Detention, as scheduled. You will not attend dinner. You will report here, I will feed you," he snorted. She watched as he raked his eyes over her before waving her out of the room ahead of him. He locked the door behind them and walked the down the hall opposite hers.

Amily moved up the staircase and out of the castle in a slow, detached sort of way, which was to be expected with the images cascading through her mind. She didn't know Severus very well, she would admit to that. But she knew he wasn't the kind to use the same punishment repeatedly, he seemed the kind to bore easily. She wondered what her next punishment might be, and the fantasies carried her all the way to the Greenhouse, where Neville, who had made a beeline out of the dungeons as fast as possible, met her and drew her out of her erotic fantasies.

"That was pretty rough," he mused as the duo walked into the warm greenhouse.

"Wha? Rough?" Amily asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"The class. It's weird to think any two guys can have that many bottled hormones, I mean, I've got hormones of course, but…" he paused, floundering. "Er, Dedric Pucey, that was the Slytherin's name, he got really bad about Hermione for a while, Ron slugged him and they've been at odds ever since," Neville explained. Amily nodded. The two took their seats, Hermione perching beside Amily.

"Hey," Amily greeted. Hermione smiled. "Thanks for trying to, y'know, keep me from getting squished," she added. Hermione nodded.

"Thanks for keeping Ron from getting pulverized," Hermione responded.

"You really think Ron would have lost?" Neville asked.

"Please, even if that slob wasn't twice Ronald's size, he fights dirty I'm sure it's a Slytherin…" Hermione broke off, her eyes catching on the green of Amily's robes. "thing…" she finished nervously.

"So it seems," Amily mused quietly. Hermione opened her mouth to apologize but Sprout was talking, holding up a small, yellow pumpkin.

"Who can tell me what this is?" Neville's and Hermione's hands both shot into the air. "Miss Granger?" Professor Sprout called.

"The Datorilus Plant, used commonly for the masking of a particular portion of one's physical skinof the Datorilus, when mixed with the-"

"Yes! Thank you Miss Granger, 20 points for Gryffindor, but let's give someone else a chance, hmm?" Professor Sprout mused kindly. "Alright how about, this one?" She had set down the datorilus and now held a little red pod, sharp leaves jutting from the bottom. Neville and Hermione shot their hands up once again. "Okay… Mr. Longbottom?"

"That's a Gortosim Pod," Neville said simply.

"Right, and it's basic function?"

"commonly used for the removal of pockets of pus or swelling," Neville answered without raising his hand, clearly assuming it was a continuation of the previous question.

"Mhm, 20 points, very good," she mused with a smile, casting him a warning look, a 'yes, you know this, give someone else a chance', a look more commonly used upon Hermione. "Now why am I showing you these?" Hermione and Neville lept into action. Sprout looked pointedly at them until they abandoned their quest and lowered their arms. Slowly Amily raised her uncertain hand. "Ah, yes, your name?" Pomona asked.

"I'm Amily, and uhm, they're used together, in the Darosim salve. Right?" Amily ventured.

"Quite right, 20 points," Sprout mused. She went on to explain that the darosim salve would be used with a small amount of hair or flesh to alter a portion of the user's appearance. The text book explained it well enough as 'Add hair from Person B and smear on ears of Person A, Person A will then procure identical ears to Person B; likewise with whatever body part the salve was used upon.' Amily watched as Sprout continued, explaining the other few masquerade plants- as they were defined by the text- and their resulting salves and cremes in favor of asking the class.

At the end of class she locked the plants away and assured the class they would be allowed to give it a shot the following day. The class rose to leave in the lazy fashion students left every class accept Potions, and more recently, Defence Against the Dark Arts.

On her way to Care of Magical creatures Amily was stopped by a tall goop of a Slytherin.

"Proffessor Snape needs to see ya, now," he said, his voice a very monotonous garble. Amily had to have him repeat himself three times before she got the message at which point she shot off toward the castle.

"Proffesor? You needed me Sir?" she asked as she peaked into his classroom.

"Here, Ms. Rutherford…" he growled. She noted the door to his stores was thrown open. Not the shelves of everyday ingredients in the classroom, but the typically locked door off to one side of the room. A string of curses resonated from the room as she approached. He had a massive book of parchment and was writing furiously as he peaked through the shelves of ingredients.

"Sir?" she asked. She had expected a nearly organized room here, something he could walk into, find his needed ingredient and leave again without trouble. This wasn't the case. The floor was splattered with dried ingredients, the shelves ramshackle, some broken and tilting so ingredients lay in a heap.

"Robbed!" he spat, coming down the latter. "Half of my stores are either gone or soiled in some manner, the other half out of order. These aren't cheap ingredients!" he was furious. "I can't! This is! GRAAH!" he roared, swiping his arm at a shelf full of empty or overturned containers, the small jars clattered and crashed upon the ground. He squeezed the bridge of his nose and made a noise somewhat reminiscent of a ferile growl.

"Professor? Can't we purchase new ingredients?" she asked weakly.

"Have you got a fortune to spend? I sure as hell haven't!" he spat coldly, rounding on Amily. "Neither has the school," he growled. Amily bit her lip. "_I _go out and collect the ingredients for in here… Over the summer when I'm not.. distracted, this past summer I collected all of this, the room was full and now it's nearly all gone, ransacked," he fumed.

Amily stood quietly.

"That's it then, I'll have to go, _we _will have to go." He reasoned. "I'd hoped I'd find a better plan before you arrived Ms. Rutherford, but I haven't," he sighed. "I have enough to concoct most of the necissary potions for about two months, we'll have to go before then…" he murmured. "We'll leave… oh you'll want to go to that ball thing, won't you?" he asked, glancing at her. Before she could tell him she really didn't care he was speaking again. "Right, of course you will, the week after that then, be packed the Sunday following the ball, you'll be working overtime on the work you'll be piling up for the 4-6 months after that. It'll be a 4 to 6 month expedition. We'll need permission from your parents, er, father right?" he asked.

This one it seemed, would require an answer. "No sir, I'm an adult, I'll write him to let him know though," she offered weakly.

"Good then, three weeks. You have three weeks." And the conversation was over. She stood with him for a while, until he had calmed down enough to firstly explain exactly what he'd been talking about: An expedition to many of the most hidden reaches of the wizarding world to collect some of the rarest ingredients in the world for his private stores, most used for the school's hospital. And then for him to wave her off to her class.

A 6 month expedition, just her and Severus? Despite the dangers of the undertaking, Amily was thrilled at the prospect.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Hey there, alright, here's the re-done Love Potions, I hope you like the changes.**

**And now it's easier to work with. :3 So the updates should come faster...**

**unless you lovely readers are quiet. **

**Notice: supply = Demand.**

**If you want the story updated, you review, even if it's I'm reading and *opinion on story* I'm not asking for anything in particular, but I will put more effort into stories I know people are reading! Reviews/messages=more/faster updates! Berrate me people, I'm lazy, I need it. X3**

**Love, Simmers.**


	7. ANY AND ALL READERS PLEASE READ UPDATE

_FILLER SPACE_

**Chapter 6 has been re-written, I suggest you re-read this fic from start to where it's written up to, or not, it's pretty much the same**

**it's up to you. I'll be working on an update soon. **

**Aaaaany my announcement:**

"**SUPPLY= DEMAND**

**If you're reading this and not commenting, it's your own fault if Potions doesn't get the attention it deserves.**

**PLEASE R&R, MORE REVIEWS= MORE UPDATES! "**


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